LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Alexandre Vinokourov has beaten the International Cycling Union in court, and won’t have to pay a $1.7 million fine for doping at the 2007 Tour de France.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld Vinokourov’s appeal that the UCI and his Astana team pressured him to declare before the race he would pay one year’s salary toward anti-doping projects if he got a two-year ban.
CAS says the UCI’s so-called “Rider’s commitment” contract was a public relations exercise with no legal basis. Vinokourov twice tested positive for banned blood transfusions during the race before Astana was asked to leave.
The Kazakh rider served his ban and returned to racing despite UCI attempts to block him until the fine was paid.
